The 3rd Annual eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town on 22nd and 23rd of February 2017.
The eCommerce MoneyAfrica main plenary sessions brought together some of the biggest leaders in the African eCommerce space. Opening talks from Google, Uber, AirBnb, and Forrester gave a grounded overview of where the digital space is leaning currently and where it is heading in the coming years. The opening panel discussion included industry leaders from Zando, Gumtree, Zoopashop (Ghana), and Criteo, which gave in-depth analysis of the current state of play in African eCommerce as well as the next steps ahead.
Over the two days attendees heard great case studies and discussions from PayPal, Oracle, Visa, What3Words, C1X, DPD Laser, OneWorld Express, and host of retailers and etailers; notably the discussions with leading brick-and-mortar stores on their efforts to create an omni-channel experience. Throughout the two days, several key themes were identified: trust, compatibility of legacy systems, customer experience, varied delivery options, COD and a variety of payment solutions, cross-border opportunities and complications, and delivering a unique experience in an increasingly competitive market.
The Expo floor provided delegates with valuable and memorable experiences. All attendees had access to a multitude of both educational and ‘hands on’ experiences, through the two conference theatres and event partners over the two days.
The MoneyAfrica Theatre adressed the issues surrounding mobile money, cross-border payments, and connecting ecommerce and fintechs across African regions. The first session delved into the potential of developing a cashless society and how money needs to be looked at differently across varying regions.
The panel discussion that initiated a large amount of engagement with the audience debated how customers differ across regions. This panel included Stephan Eckbergh, CEO of Travelstart, Amanda Cromhout, Managing Director of Truth, Oliver Skopec, CEO of TupoMoja, and Elizabeth Lee Ming, Executive Director and CDO (Chief Disruption Officer): Strategy and Digital at TBWAHunt Lascaris. The experienced industry experts discussed how to drive loyalty and the benefits of knowing the customer, how they feel, and what they want.
The eCommerce Theatre showcased some of the brightest minds and was filled with start up success stories and panel discussions that were largely well-attended. Day 1 started with a bang which saw the eCommerce theatre packed with delegates and even an overflow with some delegates standing as all seating space was occupied. A panel discussion entitled ‘Fintech in Africa’, included Llew Claasen (managing partner – Newtown Partners), Phillip Kiracofe (partner – Start up boot camp Cape Town), and Wim van der Beek (founding partner – Goodwell Investments). This discussion saw delegates engaging in conversation around what the future holds for Fintech in Africa and also where there are gaps that need to be bridged. This was a true reflection of the genuine growth and development of the Fintech industry. Experts who are playing a major role in the development of Fintech in Africa were able to offer attendees exceptional value, as well as direction and strategy to accomplish big things in this space. In conclusion to the session, it was agreed that Africa holds more potential than most markets and is definitely a market that the rest of the world is watching very closely.
This year’s eCommere MoneyAfrica exhibition floor offered many firsts, besides the MoneyAfrica track addition, the floor attracted an influx of ‘walk-ins’ with attractions such as an interactive scavenger hunt with Sea Monster and eSports competitions with Zombie Gamer and their partners, TGN Racing Simulators and ACGL.
“There was a fantastic turnout this year. It has been exciting to witness the growth of the event as the industry matures. eCommerce MoneyAfrica is growing in attendance each year on average of 25% and Kinetic is committed to strengthening the industry across the African continent through our involvement as a key information provider and business facilitator. We are encouraged by the number of companies who have already secured exhibition space in anticipation of the next edition.” Terry Southam, Managing Director, Kinetic
The 4th eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex will take place 14th and 15th March 2018. The Producers, Kinetic, have already appointed a brand new advisory panel that will guide and tailor the conversation for the 4th edition;
Manuel Koser – Managing Partner, Silvertree Capital
Llew Claasen – Managing Partner, Newtown Partners & Executive Director, Bitcoin Foundation
Shruti Chandrsekhar – Senior Investment officer, International Finance Corporation
James McCormick – Principal Analyst, Customer Insights, Forrester
Leonard Stiegeler –General Manager: Africa, Ringier
For more information about the eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex, please contact:
marcia@kineticevents.net +27 (0) 21 180 4700